Funds not top of latest Finnish consumer barometer

By: Jonathan Boyd | 08 Oct 2012

Finnish consumers, if in possession of an additional €100,000 to invest, would pick buy-to-let property, savings or investment accounts, and deposit accounts before putting the money into equities or funds, according to OP-Pohjola Group’s latest consumer finance barometer.

12% of the 3,673 people polled said they would put the money into equities or equity funds, but OP-Pohjola added that “other mutual funds and investment products arouse less interest.”

22% said they would put it into BTL property. One in five, or 20%, said they would put the money into current, savings or investment accounts. 15% would prefer deposit accounts. 9% would invest in land and forest property.

Maarit Lindström, OP-Pohjola Group economist specialising in consumer economics, said: “It is interesting that people showed great interest in buy-to-let homes and real property. Only around 7% of households own buy-to-let homes but a considerably larger number of people would dream of them if they could buy one. Currently, many people shun stock market investments. Building up wealth is part of being well prepared financially, which usually requires risk-taking suitable to each person’s needs. Now the respondents think that buy-to-let homes are safer investments than equities.”